Supporting women in treatment
Get in touchAt-a-glance
Step into a meaningful experience that combines awareness, creativity and direct community impact. In this indoor CSR activity, your team will create handmade comfort items for women undergoing breast cancer treatment in the UAE, helping provide practical support during a physically and emotionally challenging time.
The experience begins with an awareness session that introduces participants to the realities of breast cancer treatment and recovery, highlighting the challenges many women face while navigating treatment away from their families and support networks. Participants will then be guided through a hands-on workshop where they will create specialised drainage bag covers and supportive recovery cushions designed to bring comfort and dignity to women during their healing journey.
The activity concludes with the assembly of personalised care packages, including handwritten messages of encouragement and thoughtful support items. This experience creates an opportunity for meaningful conversations, greater empathy and a tangible way to remind women in treatment that they are not alone.
Why this activity exists
A breast cancer diagnosis impacts far more than physical health. Alongside surgery, treatment and recovery, many women face emotional challenges including fear, uncertainty and isolation. For many expatriate women in the UAE, this journey can be especially difficult, as they navigate treatment while being separated from their families and traditional support networks.
While medical care focuses on treatment and recovery, small acts of comfort and encouragement can make a meaningful difference to a patient’s wellbeing. Practical items such as drainage bag covers and recovery cushions help women manage the physical realities of treatment with greater comfort and dignity, while personal messages remind them that they are supported by their wider community.
By taking part, your team contributes to something much bigger than a crafting session. You are helping provide comfort, care and human connection to women during one of the most challenging periods of their lives, while gaining a deeper understanding of the realities many patients face throughout their treatment journey.
Why did we build it this way?
Through our conversations with healthcare professionals, support organisations and breast cancer survivors, we realised that many awareness initiatives focus primarily on education and fundraising. While both are important, there is also a need for practical, personalised support that directly benefits women undergoing treatment today.
Before the hands-on activity begins, participants learn about the realities of breast cancer treatment, recovery and the emotional challenges many women face. Teams then create specialised drainage bag covers and supportive recovery cushions that will be used by real patients, transforming empathy into tangible impact.
We intentionally chose items that serve a practical purpose during recovery while also carrying a personal touch. Each care package includes handmade comfort items and handwritten messages of encouragement, helping women feel seen, supported and remembered during their treatment journey.
The result is an experience that combines awareness, empathy and direct community impact, allowing participants to understand why it matters.
How the session runs
The activity is led by experienced Companies for Good facilitators who create a supportive, engaging and meaningful experience from start to finish. No previous sewing or crafting experience is required, and all materials, equipment and guidance are provided.
- The session begins with a welcome and awareness introduction, helping participants understand the realities of breast cancer treatment and recovery. Through stories, insights and discussion, teams learn about the physical and emotional challenges many women face during treatment, particularly those navigating their journey away from family and support networks.
- We then move into the hands-on workshop where they are guided through the creation of specialised drainage bag covers and supportive recovery cushions. Using sewing machines and materials provided on-site, teams work together to create practical comfort items designed to support women during their post-operative recovery. Facilitators are available throughout the activity to provide step-by-step guidance and assistance.
- As the comfort items are completed, participants assemble individual care packages that include the handmade items, thoughtful support materials and handwritten messages of encouragement. This personal element often becomes one of the most meaningful parts of the experience, allowing participants to share words of hope, strength and solidarity with women they may never meet, but whose journey they have come to better understand.
Many teams discover that breast cancer has touched the lives of colleagues, friends or family members, creating powerful conversations that might not otherwise have taken place.
Real outcomes for your team and your people
For your organisation
Many of us know someone whose life has been affected by cancer, yet conversations around treatment and emotional wellbeing often remain unspoken. This activity creates an opportunity to bring greater awareness, empathy and understanding into the workplace through a meaningful, hands-on experience.
As teams come together to create comfort items and care packages, traditional workplace boundaries naturally fade away. There are no departments or job titles, just people working together towards a shared purpose. The experience encourages genuine conversations, collaboration and human connection while supporting a cause that resonates deeply with many individuals.
Because the activity combines awareness with direct impact, it leaves a lasting impression. The result is a stronger sense of purpose, greater team cohesion and a workplace culture built on empathy and community impact.
For individual participants
There is also something deeply meaningful about creating comfort items for someone facing a difficult journey. Knowing that a handmade cushion, drainage bag cover or personal message may provide reassurance during a challenging moment creates a strong sense of purpose and connection.
And there is the natural ‘feel good’ factor that comes from helping others. Research shows that acts of kindness and volunteering can increase feelings of wellbeing, gratitude and fulfilment. Participants often leave feeling more positive, more empathetic and with the knowledge that their time and effort have made a genuine difference in someone’s life.
Hear from teams who have taken part
Sarah Mitchell
CMS
“We've organised volunteering activities before, but this one felt different. Learning about the realities of treatment while creating something that would directly support a woman in recovery made the experience incredibly personal. There were genuine conversations happening across the room, and the feedback from our employees was overwhelmingly positive.”
David Reynolds
MVP
“What surprised us most was how many people had a personal connection to the cause. During the awareness session, colleagues began sharing stories about mothers, sisters, friends and loved ones who had gone through cancer treatment. It created a level of openness and connection that we rarely experience in a typical team-building activity.”
Priya Kapoor
Standard Chartered
“The combination of awareness and hands-on impact was incredibly powerful. Knowing that the cushions, drainage bag covers and personal messages would be received by real women undergoing treatment gave everyone a strong sense of purpose. Weeks later, employees were still talking about the experience.”
A picture speaks 1,000 words
A picture speaks 1,000 words. Please take the time to review a curated collection of media resources created with various teams from across the UAE who have engaged in this impactful activity.
Aligned with global goals and the UAE's vision
UN SDG Alignment
The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to create a better and more sustainable future by addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and access to education. This activity contributes the following Sustainable Development Goals:
Good health and well-being
Reduced Inequalities
Partnerships for the Goals
By creating handmade comfort items and personalised care packages for women undergoing breast cancer treatment, your company contributes directly to improving health and wellbeing. The activity provides practical support during recovery while helping patients feel cared for, connected and supported throughout their treatment journey.
The initiative also helps reduce inequalities by supporting individuals who may be experiencing treatment away from family members or traditional support networks. Through community-driven care and encouragement, participants help ensure that women facing challenging circumstances feel less isolated during a vulnerable period of their lives.
Delivered in partnership with healthcare providers, support organisations and community stakeholders, the activity demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing real social needs. By bringing together businesses and community partners, it creates meaningful impact while raising awareness around breast cancer, recovery and the importance of emotional support.
UAE Vision 2030 Alignment
The UAE Vision 2030 places strong emphasis on creating a world-class healthcare system, enhancing quality of life, and fostering a cohesive and compassionate society. Across national strategies and healthcare initiatives, the UAE continues to invest in improving patient care, supporting community wellbeing and ensuring that individuals facing health challenges have access to the support they need.
The Supporting Women in Treatment activity aligns closely with these priorities by promoting health, wellbeing and community engagement. Through practical support and emotional encouragement for women undergoing breast cancer treatment, the initiative contributes to a more caring and inclusive society while helping improve the overall patient experience during recovery.
The activity also reflects the UAE’s commitment to strengthening social cohesion and encouraging active community participation. By bringing together businesses, volunteers and support organisations, it demonstrates how collective action can positively impact the lives of individuals facing difficult circumstances.
As further emphasised by UAE leadership: “You are the real wealth, not the 3 million barrels of oil.” — Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
By taking part in this activity, your team contributes to these national priorities, supporting health, wellbeing and community resilience while helping ensure that women undergoing treatment feel supported, valued and connected throughout their recovery journey.
Lasting community impact
Companies for Good was created to help businesses make a positive impact for society, employees and the wider community. This initiative reflects that mission by giving organisations the opportunity to support women undergoing breast cancer treatment through practical care, emotional encouragement and human connection.
The comfort items and care packages created during this activity are distributed to women navigating one of the most challenging periods of their lives. For many beneficiaries, these items provide more than physical comfort. They serve as a reminder that they are not alone, that their community cares, and that others are standing beside them throughout their recovery journey.
Each drainage bag cover, recovery cushion and handwritten message is thoughtfully created to support dignity, comfort and wellbeing during treatment. While these may seem like small gestures, they can have a meaningful impact on a patient’s daily experience and emotional resilience.
Since launching this initiative in October 2025, more than 150 people from 5 organisations across the UAE have come together to create care packages and messages of support for close to 500 women in treatment, helping foster a stronger culture of empathy, awareness and community care. What makes this activity especially meaningful is that the impact is both immediate and deeply personal. Every item created will be used by a real beneficiary facing a real challenge.
What your team contributes may seem small in the moment, but collectively these acts of kindness create a powerful network of support for women who need it most. It is a real, human and lasting impact that your employees can genuinely feel proud of.
Join us in supporting women in treatment!
Frequently asked questions
Not at all. The activity is designed for complete beginners, and no previous sewing or crafting experience is required. Experienced facilitators provide step-by-step guidance throughout the session, and all materials and equipment are supplied.
Participants will create specialised drainage bag covers and supportive recovery cushions designed to provide comfort and dignity to women recovering from breast cancer surgery. Teams will also prepare personalised care packages and handwritten messages of encouragement.
The completed care packages are distributed to women undergoing breast cancer treatment and recovery in the UAE through our healthcare and community partners.
Yes. The activity involves light crafting and assembly work and can be adapted to accommodate participants with varying levels of mobility, dexterity and experience.
The number depends on the group size and event duration. We will recommend an appropriate target based on the number of participants and can scale the activity accordingly.
Absolutely. Organisations may choose to include additional comfort or wellbeing items, subject to approval from our beneficiary partners to ensure suitability and relevance for recipients.
Yes. The session begins with an introduction to breast cancer treatment and recovery, helping participants better understand the challenges many women face and the importance of emotional and community support throughout the process.
Yes. This activity is specifically designed to be delivered at your office, conference venue or event space. Our team will bring all sewing machines, materials, equipment and facilitation support required.
The activity typically lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours, including the awareness session, hands-on workshop, care package assembly and reflections.
Rather than making a general donation, participants create practical comfort items that will be used directly by women during their recovery journey. Combined with personalised messages and awareness-building, the experience creates a tangible and deeply human connection between participants and beneficiaries.